PH and Health

A balanced Ph is critical for health and yet it seems to be getting harder to achieve and maintain a healthy balance.The body works hard to maintain a healthy acid /alkaline balance but so much of our western diet is acid and therefore continually challenges the body to be able to achieve this incredibly vital health state.

What is Ph?

Ph is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.

It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, the lower the pH the more acidic, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base)

When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7 which is neutral.In the human body acid is required in the stomach to enable the body to digest foods.The ph of body tissues however need to be alkaline otherwise there is the risk of a variety of illnesses Eg There is a higher risk of

.Weight gain and difficulty losing weight

.Bladder and kidney infections

.Cancer risk

.Aching joints and muscles

.Fatigue

.Bacteria and Fungal infections

Why is it hard to be alkaline?

It is harder to maintain a healthy Ph due to a number of factorsProcessed foods and beverages, sugars some meats and dairy products, most grains are all acid forming.

Therefore the majority of the western diet contributes to an acid system .

There are also other factors such as stress, a sluggish or toxic liver and kidneys and also a sluggish digestive system.

The deficiency of key alkalising minerals such as Magnesium which are depleted in our soils and diet also contribute to a lower PhHow can I test Ph?Ph can be tested by using Ph strips which can test Urine and salivaPh

Saliva and urine Ph levels can differ slightly

Saliva is generally a little more acidic than urine due to the effects of recent food consumption and the presence of acidic bacteria in the mouth.Urine reflects the end result of body processes and can also fluctuateAlthough ideal levels seem to fluctuate depending on different researchersOn average a reading of 6.75 to 7 is ok for saliva and urine from 7.5 upwards.Both urine and saliva ph levels are still only indicators of tissue and blood PH but still give enough information to know whether PH imbalance is present and can be contributing to unwellness and risk factors for chronic illness.Hemaview Live Blood Analysis is another useful tool which gives a snapshot into the health of the blood and there are markers which indicate an acidic PH

How Can I Alkalise?

Diet is key to alkalising and addressing stress, digestion, nutritional imbalances are also critical.There are some very useful supplements such as Magnesium and green drinks.

You can also get formulas which are alkalising salts which can be useful while the body is rebalancing itself through Diet etc and to have on hand to get the Ph back in balance quickly after eating an acidic foods or coping with excess stress.At Rotorua Health and Spa we test urinary and salivary Ph and use Hemaview Live Blood Screening and the Scio Energy Scan to help get insights into Ph levels along with other key Markers of Health.These tests are performed in a Naturopathic consultation.

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